Who has the strongest female voice in Country Music

[gonecountry]

Similar to the thread I started a few months ago about male artists. Who do you think has the best voice among currently recording artists? This is more about the quality of their voice versus the material they cover.  I enjoy Taylor Swift's country songs, but - while her voice is certainly improving - she still has a way to go, IMO. (It worked with Madonna, we'll see how Taylor's voice deepens over time)

Who do you think have the strongest female voices in country music? My choices:

1. Carrie Underwood (I think "I Told You So" is her best song, her voice is incredible on this song IMO)
2. Miranda Lambert (I think she sounds best on her quieter tunes like House That Built Me and Heart Like Mine)
3. Dolly Parton
4. Kelly Clarkson (if you consider her country)
5. Reba
6. Kacey Musgraves  (I loved her on "Oh Tonight" with Josh Abbot Band)
7. Shania Twain (I think she is still recording, isn't she?  I'm probably one of the few who enjoyed "Today is Your Day")

[tonyei31]

1) Carrie Underwood
2) Dolly Parton
3) Reba
4) Leann Rimes
5) Morgane Hayes Stapleton
6) Martina McBride
7) Mickey Guyton
8) Kellie Pickler

[Andy]

My top two would be:

1. Connie Smith
2. Trisha Yearwood

Also in consideration were in no particular order Alison Krauss, Rhonda Vincent, Lee Ann Womack, Martina McBride, Leann Rimes, Dolly Parton, Wynnona, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire and probably someone I'm forgetting. Lots of great female vocals around.

Edit: Patsy Cline and Patty Loveless would be extremely high on my list, but they're not currently recording artists (well, obviously Patsy isn't, but hopefully that'll change someday for Patty).

[someguy]

Reba McEntire, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Wynonna

Definitely Kelly Clarkson too, if she counts as being country.

I could keep going and going too. There are so many strong female voices in country.

[Markus Meyer]

Carrie Underwood. I'm not even an Carrie fan, but her voice is killer.

I do love Miranda and Kacey's voices though, as well as Kimberly Perry and Shawna Thompson.

[carrieidol1]

Carrie Underwood by far has the strongest voice. Not only in country music, but in all of music. IMO.

Martina McBride
Trisha Yearwood
Reba McEntire
LeAnn Rimes
Faith Hill
Alison Krauss

... I'm sure I'm forgetting a slew of others, but there is no shortage of vocal prowess among females in country music.

[dm2081]

Carrie has the strongest voice, but I can only take so much of it, after a while it becomes a headache, IMO. I'm not exactly sure if strong is supposed to mean just the most powerful, the most distinct, or the overall best singer, but after Carrie I'd go with Reba, who's the best female country artist of all time in my opinion. Shania Twain would be next even though she doesn't really sing anymore.

[14887fan]

Carrie Underwood and Trisha Yearwood are, far and away, the strongest female vocalists in the genre's history. Yes, history. I rank Underwood above Yearwood, too, because of the versatility in Underwood's voice. Not even Yearwood can match that kind of power.

I know her tone can be off-putting to some, but Carrie Underwood is Country music's strongest voice, female or male, ever.

[bboat11]

1) Martina McBride
2) Carrie Underwood
3) Sara Evans
4) Reba McEntire
5) Cassadee Pope
6) Kellie Pickler
7) Faith Hill
8) Terri Clark
9) Lee Ann Womack

In my opinion, Martina and Carrie are the two strongest vocalists in the bunch, without question. Carrie has the advantage of being more popular right now, but Martina edges her out for me because her voice is just less edgy. Her tone is more polished, her vibrato is smoother, and she is still slaying the material she recorded 20+ years ago. Carrie's voice is beautiful as well, and powerful belters have never bothered me in the slightest (obviously, looking at my top two...), so I am not bothered by her belting. I just think her voice has an edgier sound that makes it slightly less enjoyable. And sometimes her vibrato bothers me, because it is inconsistent (it ranges from perfection to way too heavy and slow).

Sara is definitely one of the most underrated vocalists in the genre. She has not always had the most consistent awards show performances, but I think that has been partly due to unfortunate luck. Because she is always spot on in her own shows, and when she is on she has delivered some of the best awards show performances I have ever seen. Her voice is absolute perfection to me, but I can acknowledge that it is not everybody's cup of tea. Reba is right up there with her. Sara edges her out because to me her music is more consistently enjoyable (I can listen to her anytime, anywhere, whereas with Reba I have huge binges every once in awhile), and because Reba is getting older, but in terms of ability at their primes, Reba almost certainly had Sara beat. For spot 5, I feel like Cassadee is one of the most promising new voices in the genre. Her high range is incredible, but before she moves up closer to Sara, Carrie, and Martina, she will have to work on her lower range. And I don't feel like elaborating on the rest of the list, because it is late.

[sbp17]

It looks like a mixture of "strongest" interpretations in here.

If we're going with the powerful connotation, I'll have to go with Martina, Carrie and Trisha. Those three seem to belt with the greatest ease and most consistency. Sara Evans and Rebecca Lynn Howard are not far behind them.

If we're going with the more well rounded (or "best") connotation, I'm going with Trisha and Reba (in her prime). While Reba is my all time favorite and Carrie is probably my active favorite, I'd still give the nod to Trisha as the strongest vocalist, all variables considered. Her tone has a richness to it that hardly ever reaches a more grating point that you might hear from time to time with Carrie or Reba. Her softer, more nuanced vocals are as equally well-executed as her belting. The emotive quality to her voice and her interpretive delivery are always engaging. And there's a certain natural soulfulness that she brings to her vocal performances.

[Deleted]

1. Reba (for its distinctiveness, pure power and the runs and gymnastics she does.)
2. Carrie (for power and versatility.)
3. Martina's (power.)

[musicbuff78]

Martina
Trisha
Rebecca Lynn Howard
Jamie O'Neal
Faith
Jennifer Nettles

Carrie is too much of an oversinger/shouter and if she wouldn't scream/yell instead of trying to belt, she wouldn't be close to where she is today.

[carrieidol1]

Nov 5, 2014 12:06:53 GMT -5 musicbuff78 said:

Martina
Trisha
Rebecca Lynn Howard
Jamie O'Neal
Faith
Jennifer Nettles

Carrie is too much of an oversinger/shouter and if she wouldn't scream/yell instead of trying to belt, she wouldn't be close to where she is today.

Oh!! I forgot Jennifer Nettles, how could I!?

Are you saying Carrie's "screaming/yelling" is the reason she's as big as she is today? I'm confused (and I know there are some who think I'm being defensive, but I honestly don't get the statement) --- I'll say that before the inevitable reprimand ensues as if I'm five.

[sabre14]

Nov 5, 2014 12:06:53 GMT -5 musicbuff78 said:

Rebecca Lynn Howard
Jamie O'Neal

Nice to see Rebecca and Jamie listed. I'd also add Katrina Elam as well.

[Deleted]

1. Carrie
2. Trisha
3. Martina
4. Jennifer Nettles

[someguy]

I forgot to add Jennifer Nettles to my list, too. Phenomenal vocalist.

[bornfearless2000]

Carrie Underwood.

End of discussion.

[josh]

In my opinion the Webb sisters are the best female voices country music has ever heard.

1. Crystal Gayle-I've never heard a more beautiful voice
2. Loretta Lynn

And while Loretta's voice has aged, Crystal is still slaying songs like "Cry" in 2014.

[toomuchboy]

Sara Evans and Trisha Yearwood. Kacey Musgraves and Alison Krauss aren't belters, but I find their vocals more interesting than someone like, say, Martina.

[sport2]

In no particular order

Martina McBride (powerhouse)
Carrie Underwood (like Martina she's a powerhouse)
Danielle Bradbery (honestly surprised no one has mentioned her yet, she has an unreal voice)
Jennifer Nettles (i absolutely adore her!)
Natalie Maines (not sure if im allowed to count her but i will anyway ;) )

[.indulgecountry]

1. Sara Evans
2. Miranda Lambert
3. Kellie Pickler

That's my top three. I like so many female country artists though that the list is endless.


ETA: Surprised no one has mentioned Jo Dee Messina yet. She has a killer voice. "Even God Must Get the Blues" always comes to my mind as one of the best vocals on any country song, period.

[tim]

Alison Krauss and Mary Chapin Carpenter are my favorite two female vocalists. I find their voices so much more authentic than some other vocalists, and thats probably what I look for most in a singer's voice. I'm also quite taken by Kimberly Perry's (of The Band Perry) voice...again a lot of authenticity there.

Others include:
Lee Ann Womack
Patsy Cline
Trisha Yearwood
Patty Loveless
Suzy Bogguss

One of my least favorite vocalists (at least currently) is *gasp* Carrie Underwood. As another posted stated above, I can only take Carrie in small doses (Martina McBride is kind of the same for me). They can for sure belt out a tune...but sometimes it's just too much for my ears to take.

[Kanenrá:ke]

01. k.d. Lang
02. Trisha Yearwood
03. Patsy Cline
04. LeAnn Rimes
05. Jamie O'Neal
06. Cystal Gayle
07. Mindy McCready
08. Jennifer Nettles
09. Alison Krauss
10. Amanda Wilkinson
11. Reba McEntire
12. Wynonna Judd
13. Pam Tillis
14. Dolly Parton
15. Emily West
16. Lee Ann Womack
17. Sara Evans
18. Kelly Clarkson
19. Jessica Andrews
20. Joey Martin
21. Rhonda Vincent
22. Mandy Barnett
23. Katrina Elam
24. Natalie Maines
25. Maggie Rose
26. Martina McBride
27. Carrie Underwood
28. Lisa Brokop
29. Laura Bell Bundy
30. Rebecca Lynn Howard
31. Jo Dee Messina
32. Suzy Bogguss
33. Faith Hill
34. Rachel Proctor
35. Kree Harrison
36. Dawn Sears
37. Kellie Coffey
38. Sonya Isaacs
39. Chely Wright
40. Kimberly Schlapman
41. Linda Davis
42. Joanna Cotten
43. Danielle Peck
44. Shawna Thompson
45. Tammy Cochran
46. Karen Fairchild
47. Lila McCann
48. Cyndi Thomson
49. Kassidy Osborn
50. Heidi Newfield

[tim]

Nov 6, 2014 22:28:54 GMT -5 Kanenrá:ke said:

22. Mandy Barnett

Glad to see her name mentioned! I was going to include her in my list but kept it to more mainstream or well known voices. I still listen to her material now and then.

[jesster]

Sara Evans
LeAnn Rimes
Jennifer Nettles
Alison Krauss (not for "strong" in the sense of power necessarily -- just beautiful pure voice)

Have heard all of those live except LeAnn. Most recently Sara. All were impressive.

In group formats, I'd also include as very effective Karen from LBT, Hillary Scott, and maybe Kimberly Perry.

I know Carrie will make a lot of lists and she is a power singer, no doubt; just not my taste. Martina feels to me as a slightly older era, as does Reba.

[surfy]

I don't know a ton of country females like I used to. BUT CARRIE UNDERWOOD DOMINATES (in pretty much any genre!!!)

And if we're counting Kelly Clarkson she's right behind Carrie.